Universal mount



1950 M. c. MILLER, JR., ET AL 2,524,172

UNIVERSAL MOUNT Filed Sept. 17, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 23 3 INVENTORS 1950 M. c. MILLER, JR, ET AL v 2,524,172

UNIVERSAL MOUNT Filed Sept. 17, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ;'y.6. 14 f/ 7 im lkgig A ,5 J1 -12 20 7 INVENTORS.

k Q 7M both pivots.

i atenteci ()ct.

UNIVERSAL MOUNT Milton 0. Miller, Jr., Los Angeles, and John B. Lovick, Glendale, Calif., assignors to Trinity Manufacturing Company, Glendale, Calif.

Application September 17, 1945, Serial No. 616,806

Claims. 1

This invention relates to photographic camera apparatus, and particularly to a universal mounting or head for adjusting both the vertical and horizontal axes of a camera when mounted on a stand or tripod.

Universal camera mountings are well known in the art, the present invention being similar to a type now in use, wherein the axes of vertical and horizontal pivot members intersect and a single control arm or lever locks and unlocks Although the general construction of the present invention is similar to such a mounting, the present invention is provided with a structure, which, instead of locking the vertical adjustment by exerting pressure on one end of a horizontal pivot to expand the other end of the horizontal pivot against a fixed diameter collar in the manner of the prior devices, directly exerts pressure on both ends of the horizontal pivot. Since the locking of the vertical adjustment in prior devices brings pressure to bear on the horizontal adjustment, the horizontal adjustment either becomes locked at the same time as the vertical adjustment or is, at least, partially locked. In the present invention, pressure i directly applied to the vertical adjustment without interfering with the horizontal adjustment, and thus,.better control of the locking and unlocking of the two adjustments is obtained, and a more definite separation between the two adjustments is also obtained. In the present construction, when both adjustments are locked by the control member, it is only necessary to turn the control member a quarter of a turn to first unlock the horizontal adjustment, while maintaining the vertical adjustment locked, and then turn the control member another quarter of a turn to unlock the vertical adjustment.

Another feature of the present invention is in the means for attaching various types of cameras to the mounting, so that cameras having difierent types of mounting threads may be rapidly attached to and detached from the mountmg.

The principal object of the invention, therefore, is to facilitate the manipulation of a camera on a stand or tripod.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved universal head which has a single locking and unlocking member for controlling both vertical and horizontal adjustments in successive order.

' A further object of the invention is to provide animproved universal camera mount which has 2 a single locking element for directly locking-and unlocking two adjustments of the mount in a successive order. 7

A still further object of the invention is to facilitate the attaching and detaching of a camera from it universal mounting.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the appended claims, the manner of its organization and the mode of its operation will be better understood by referring to the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,

forming a part hereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a universal mount embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the universal mount shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top view of the universal mount shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional viewtaken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a cros sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional View taken along the line 6--6 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, in which'the same numerals identify like'elements, a circular base member 5 has a cylindrical upright post or pivot portion 6 with a center notch 1 therein, the post and base having a threaded hole 8 used for attaching the mount to a tripod or stand. A shoulder portion 9 is intermediate the pivot post 6 and base 5. Surrounding the post 6 are two half cylinder section II' and I2, which are recessed to accommodate the pivot 6, so that the end faces are adjacent and slightly separated from one another, section II having a set screw I4 threaded therein and passing into the notch l to prevent the sections from sliding oh the post 6. (See Fig. 5.) The two sections II and I2 are fastened together at their ends by means of bolts l6 and I! (see Fig. 6), the bolts passing through section l2 and being threaded in section I I. In enlarged holes in the face of sections ll and l2 and surrounding the bolts 16 and II, respectively, are a pair of compression springs l9 and 20, which bear against the ends of the enlarged holes and urge the sections apart. The two sections II and I2 provide a pivot for tilting the mounting vertically, and the post 6 provides a pivot for rotating the mounting horizontally, as will be explained hereinafter.

Surrounding the ends of the sections I I and II, are two collars 22 and 23, which are part of a faces of the sections H and 12 to bear against the inner surfaces of the collars 22 and 23 and casting 25 when an adjusting rod is in a certain predetermined longitudinal position. The rod 30 has a handle 3| at one end, threads 32 at the other end, and a collar or shoulder 33' adapted to bear against the smaller end of the split casting 25. The threaded end 320i rod 30 passes through a hole in one end of the casting 25 between the collars Hand 23, so that when the rod is turned and the'shoulder 33 bears against the small, split end of'the casting, it"reduces the inside diameter of both collars 2 2 iand 2 3 simultaneously. The rod 36 also'serves as a tilting and panning control leverf V The first effect of the reduction in diameter of the collars is to exert pressure on the springs 19 and 26 without bringing any pressure to bear between the inner notched surfaces of the sections' I l. and I2 and the outer'surface of the post 6. Thus, the head may be, adjusted horizontally, whilethe friction between' the sections, the collars, and the casting is suiiioient to hold the head in any vertical adjustment. A further tightening of the handle 36, however, will compress the springs 19 and 20 ,an'dbring the inner notched surfaces of sections l i and I2 against the post 6 to lock themount from rotating on the pivot post 6. In unlocking the device, approximately the first quarter of a turn permits the notch 28 to'widen, the collars '22 and 23 to increase in diameter to release the sections H and I2 from the te'rti'cal pivot, while the springs 19 and 2H maintain the sections II; and I2 in firm contact with the inner surfaces of the collars 22 and 23 Approximately another quarterturn of the handle; 30, however, permits :the notch 28 to widen sufficiently and the collars 22 and 23 to enlarge sufficiently in diameter so that the bolts l6 and l8 receive the pressure of: the springs l9 and 20, which reduces the friction between the collars'22 and 23 and sections Hand l2 -.,The head may now be adjusted vertically on the horizontalpivot. Y Y

The upper face ofthe casting 25 is drilled with a circulai'recessinto which isfitted-a mounting bolt having a head with circumferential 4 one end of the split casting 25, which is split com pletely across, successive locking and unlocking actions are obtained with a slight turning action of the rod 30. This adjustment can be made substantially a quarter of a turn of the rod or handle by the adjustment of the bolts I6 and H with respect to the internal diameters of the collars 22 and 23, the externaldiameter of the sections H and 12, the internal diameter of sections I! and i2, and the diameter of the pivot post 6.

" By direct pressure on the split end of the castmatch 36' therear-ound and a threaded portion or 7 post 31. A thumb set screw 3S-is adapted to be threaded through the casting 2 5so that the tip of thesc'rew enters the groove 36"to hold the bolt in place. A mounting bolt of this type may be provided for each camera, the threads being suited to the particular camera, while the heads are allthe same so as to fit the mount. Thus, to change cameras, it is only necessary to unloosen the thumb'set screw 39, remove the camera with its mounting bolt, and place another camera having a bolt with the same type of head on the mount. 7 This not only permits a very rapid exchange of cameras, but prevents wear on the threads of any camera by attaching and detaching them from the mount in the usual manner.

By direct action of the control rod 38 against ing 2 5, however, the locking and unlocking action for each adjustment may be very accurately controlled and distinctly separated.

We'claim:

1. A universal mount comprising a vertical, cylindrical member, a pair of half cylinder members mounted on said vertical member, the flat surfaces of said half cylinder members facing one another and being notched to surround said vertical member, a, casting having ring portions surrounding the ends of said half cylinder members, said castingbeing split along its length, a rotatable rod passing through substantially the center of one split end of said castinghand threadedly engaged in the central portion .of the other split end for drawing the ends of said casting together and simultaneously decreasing. the internal diameter of said ring portions, resilient means between the ends of said half cylinder members urging them apart and, from contact with said vertical member until the rotation of said rod overcomes the tension of saidgresilient means, said vertical member beingcircumferentially notched, screw means passing through one of said half cylinder members and into said notch, and screw meansbetweenthe ends of said. half cylinder members tolimit the separation of said; half cylinder members by said resilient means.

2. A universal mount comprisinga vertical, cylindrical member, av pair of half cylinder members mounted on said vertical member, the flat, surfaces of said half, cylinder members ,facing; one another and being notchedto surround said. vertical member, a casting having ring portions. surrounding the ends ofusaid half cylinder members, said casting beingvsplit along its length,

means passing through substantially the center of'one split end of said castingv and threadedly engaged in the centralportion of the other split end for drawing the endsof said casting together andisimultaneously decreasingthe internal diam-,- eter of said ring. portions, andsprings for urging the flat surfaces of saidhalfrcylindenmembers'apartto a predetermined. distance depend,- ent upon the internal diameter of said ringPortions of said casting.

3. A universal mount comprising a .base hav a cylindrical post extending therefrom, plural section horizontal pivot. member mounted on said post, a casting mounted onsaid horizontalipivot, a rotatable rod. attached to saidccasting, and means interconnecting said pluralsections of said horizontal pivot member, said means permitting the rotation of said rod a predetermined amount in a certain direction to increase the friction be,- tween said casting and said plural sections of said horizontal pivot member only, further ro tation of said rod increasing the friction between said plural sections of said horizontal pivot mem-,- ber and said post, said plural section horizontal member including two notched half cylinderseetions surrounding said post, said means including a pair of bolts interconnecting said plural sections and a pair of springs urging said sections apart.

4. A universal mount comprising a vertical, cylindrical post, a horizontal, cylindrical pivot consisting of two half cylinder sections having central notches ,therein surrounding said vertical post, the flat surfaces of said half cylinder sections being positioned adjacent and facing one another, said surfaces having opposing cylindrical openings therein, bolts in said openings and adapted to permit said half cylinder members to be separated a predetermined distance to eliminate substantially all friction between the notched portions of said cylindrical members and said post, and means surrounding the ends of said half cylinder members for urging said half cylinder members together for causing friction between said post and said half cylinder members,

bers, said casting being split along its length, means passing through substantially the center of one split end of said casting and threadedly engaged in the central portion of the other split end for drawing the ends of said casting together and simultaneously decreasing the internal diameter of said ring portions, one end of each of said half cylinder members being drilled and the other ends of said half cylinder members being threaded, screws being provided in said drilled and. threaded portions to permit separation of said half cylinder members a, predetermined distance, and springs being provided on said screws to urge said half cylinder members to said predetermined distance.

- MILTON C. MILLER, JR.

JOHN B. LOVICK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 50,593 Jacks-on Oct. 24,1865 299,886 Westbrook June 3, 1884 913,056 Rounds Feb. 23, 1909 1,854,951 Neuwirth Apr. 19, 1932 2,143,606 Mooney Jan. 10, 1939 2,318,633 Ries May 11, 1943 

